Within These Walls

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Louis had been right.

His day at school dragged on and it seemed as though he was in an endless loop, seemingly never able to escape and be free from the hell it was.

After his incident with Jonathan at the start of the day, the stares from other students multiplied and everyone treaded around Louis as though he was going to explode and snap at everyone else.

Thankfully, Sam hadn't said anything about it. In fact, Sam hadn't said anything to Louis all day. The drive to Sam's house was silent and the moment they arrived, Sam went to play games with his little brother Jay and left Louis to do his own thing.

So, he had gone to his room. To his solitude. He didn't know what else to do. He only had two things he wanted to achieve throughout the day, and he was glad he only failed to do one of them. He had no idea how Sarah would react if he told Sam about her leukaemia, though Louis could guess it wouldn't be great.

All Louis wanted was for it to stop. He wanted to stop feeling the way he was and to stop seeing the same, horrific images in his head over and over.

He wanted it all to stop.

Louis sunk down into his bed, enveloped in the darkness, trying to find some comfort in the warmth of his blankets—though none came to him. He seemed to only find it when Isaac was around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Pulling his phone out, Louis squinted at the brightness of his screen as he scrolled through the texts Isaac had sent him throughout the day.

Hey how r u? x

Did u get any sleep?

I miss u x

Won't be able to come cuddle today. Sarahs not doin great aftr yesterday

Promise ull eat something

Can't wait to kiss u again

Of course, Louis had been responding to each of Isaac's texts, though most of it had been lies. Saying he was doing okay and that he got some sleep. That he would eat something.

Louis hadn't told him what happened with Jonathan. He hadn't told him about the bubbling rage he felt building inside him. Because it hadn't only been Jonathan causing the anger to rise. Louis felt as though he was on the verge of anger all the time. Every time someone asked him if her was okay or if he wanted to talk.

It was as if being awake made him angry. As though every breath he took could come spilling back out as poison in the underserving ear of someone he cared about.

He didn't know how to make it stop.

Sighing, Louis backed out of the messages and stared at his phones background. It was a photo of Isaac on his seventeenth birthday—from before Louis knew him. Sarah had sent it to him in the hopes of cheering him up.

Which had worked. At least, for a little while.

Staring at the photo usually brought a small smile to Louis' face. Seeing the brightness in Isaac's eyes and the joy on his face while cake was smeared across it.

Happiness like that seemed so far away for Louis. He caught glimpses of it when he was with his friends or with Isaac, but it was so fleeting. Smothered effortlessly by the weight of reality.

Turning his phone off and shoving it back in his pocket, Louis was greeted again by darkness. He felt his stomach churn in hunger, but tried to ignore it, doing his best to convince himself he wasn't hungry.